Spring cue for toy use



Oct. 8, 1929. H. J. BRINKMAN SPRING CUE FOR TOY USE Filed June 20, 1927 V Patented Get. 8, 1%29 HARRY J. BRINKMAN', OF DAYTON, OHIO SPRING CUE FOR TOY USE Application filed June 20,

' My invention relates to spring actuated cues for playing pooland billiards, crokinole or carom games and the like. While the spring cue forming the subject matter hereof has been particularly designed for use with toy or miniature pool and billiard tables and for use on crokinole boards, the construction in larger forms and proportions is capable of general use for game purposes.

It is recognized that spring actuated cues have heretofore been manufactured and that a number of patents have already been issued therefor. However the present invention pertains to particular features of construction which enable and facilitate the commercial production of spring cues at nominal cost and without the necessity of employment of highly skilled workmen.

In the present construction there is employed a reciprocatory cue stick upon which is slidingly mounted asleeve formed from sheet metal by rolling or forming'a'strip of sheet'metal stock into tubular form by bringing the opposite longitudinal margins into prokimityzto each other. The sleeve is pro vided at" spaced intervals, preferably at a medial point, and adj acent' to each end with an integral peripheral bead formed i'nsuch sheet metal tube. 'The sleeve, being of greater diameter than the cue stick, 'is' provided with heads closing the opposite ends of the sleeve into substantialv H conformity with the periphery of the cue stick. These heads are formed by inturned tongues of material formed integral with the sleeve. The tongues at one end are offset and extendedto form a short neck conforming to the cue i stick. Within the reciprocatory sleeve and surrounding the cue stick is a'fheli cal spring, one end of which abuts upon the sleeve and the other end of which abuts upon" a collar fixedly securedupon the cue stick within thejsleeve. For economy ofmanufac;

.. ture this collar comprises a split ring of round wire contracted tightly about the cue stick'so' as'to become partially embedded'therein.

Theobjectbf the invention is'to simplify the structure as well as the mode of assembly of such spring actuated" cues whereby they will not'only be cheapenedin construction 1927. Serial No. 199,947.

but will be more efiicient in use, positive and uniform'in action, easily operated and unlikely to get out of repair. V

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of a reciprocatory sleeve for spring actuated 'cue sticks made from sheet metal and formed with integral closure heads.

A further and important feature of the invention is to provide an improved form of abutment collarfor an actuating spring and to improve the method of attaching such abutment collar by contracting it tightly upon the one stick.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinationsthereofpand the mode of operation, or their equivalents,as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

.In the accompanying'drawing wherein is shown the preferred, but obviously not neces-' sarily, the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the assembled spring actuated cue forming the subject matter hereof. Fig. 2 is a longiudinal sectional view illustrating the assembly of the spring and sliding sleeve upon the cue stick, Figs. 3 and 4 areend views from opposite ends of the assembled cue stick. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the contractible abutment collar prior to its application to the cue sleeve 2 of somewhat greater diametenpreferably formed from sheet metal. The metal sleeve 2 is provided at a medial point and also adjacent to each end with peripheral beads 3 formed in the material of the sleeve.

These peripheral beads 3 afford finger grips and enable the sleeve to be held tightly without slipping. At each end of the sleeve there are preferably formd tongue like extensions which are inturned to form closure heads. The tongues 4 which are of an approximate sector shape are bent inwardly toward the cue stick and thence extended substantially parallel therewith to form a short bearing neck 5 substantially conforming to the periphery of the cue stick but within-which the cheap material and facilitates the forming operation, the construction being much less expensive than when the ends of the tube are closed by being contracted or formed without the removal of the gores of material intermediate the sector shaped tongues. The oppo site end of the sleeve 2 is similarly provided with sector-shaped tonguesfi. These tongues 6 are also inbent into substantial conformity with the periphery of the one stick, without however, being extended to form a neck or hub. It is obvious however, that both ends of thereciprocatory sleeve 2-may be provided with like heads: that is to say, both ends of the sleeve may be formed with the extended neck 5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or

both'ends of the sleeve may be devoid of such extension as shown in Fig. 4:, and at the right in Fig. 2. Surrounding the cue stick 1 within the sleeve 2 is a helical actuating spring 7. The spring bears at one end (the left hand end in Fig. 2) against the inturned extremity or head of the sleeve 2. At its opposite end the spring 7 bears upon a peripheral collar 8 carried by the cue stick 1. It has been the practice heretofore to provide a transverse 7 pin in the cue stick for the abutment of the spring in lieu of the collar 8, orto provide a thin collar ofsheet metal secured to the one stick by staking. For. economy of manufacture and facility of assembly the abutment collar 8 in the present instance comprises a split ring, preferably though not necessarily formed from round Wire. This wire split ring being placed about the cue stick-at the proper point is contracted tightly thereon.

This contraction may be eifected by rolling or by a setting die or may be effected by a p air of pincers or pliers with whichrthe split ring is grasped and squeezed. The contraction of the ring upon the one stick 1 partially embeds the inner circumference of the ring in the surface of the cue stick indenting the stick as indicated at 9 in Fig. 7. By this means the abutment collar is immovably secured upon the stick quickly and easily by an from specialrolled wire shapes.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable,but which obviously isssusceptible of modification in its form,-propor-v tions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

WVhile in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features,

it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the specific detailsshown, but that the-means and construction herein disclosed comprises the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the. legiti mate and valid scope of the appendednlaims.

Having thus described my invention, "I claim:

1. The combination with aspring actuated one stick and actuating springtheref-or, of a reciprocatory-sleeve mounted onthestick and enclosing thefispring, said sleeve being formed from sheet metal, a series of terminal tongues'formed at one end of the sleeve, said tongues being offset inwardly to form an .in-

ternal annular shoulder and=a tubularjprojed.

tion of less diameter than-the mainbody of the sleeve projecting beyond theshoulder.

'2. The combination with a spring actuated one stick and actuating spring therefor, .of -a reciprocatory sleeve mounted on the stick and enclosing the spring, said sleeve being.- formed from sheet metal, a series of terminal tongues formed at one end of the sleeve,;said tongues being inturned to closure head for the sleeve substantially conforming to' the periphery Lof the cue stick.

3. The combination with a spring actuated cue stick and an actuating spring therefor, of a 'reciprocatory. sleeve mounted thereon and enclosing the spring, comprising a single sheet of material bent to tubular form with the longitudinal opposite edges of the'sheet turned to proximate relation with each other,

and the opposite ends of the tube thus formed contracted into proximate relation with: the periphery of the cuestick.

(l. The combination-with a spring actuated cue stick and actuating spring therefor of a reciprocatory sleeve surrounding the cue stick and spring, and a plurality of terminal integral tongues formed on opposite ends of said sleeve contractable into proximate relation with the periphery of the one stick to prevent the escape of the spring and stick from the sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st dayof May, A. D. 1927.

HARRY J. BRINKMAN. 

